After all, Wu Chaoyue, who had not received formal diplomatic training and education, and whose knowledge of history was too scarce, and who knew little about modern history and modern diplomacy, finally made a serious mistake and missed the best opportunity to force Tsarist Russia to give up war against Wu by diplomatic means. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

As a matter of fact, just after Tsarist Russia submitted a diplomatic note to Britain and France requesting neutrality, the British minister in Hubei Province, Pruss, had already issued a warning to Wu Chaoyue, and expressed his willingness to mediate the contradictions between the Hubei Provisional Government and Tsarist Russia, and even help the Hubei Provisional Government to renegotiate the establishment of diplomatic relations with Tsarist Russia.

The conscience of heaven and earth, although Prussian did this for the sake of the interests of the British government in the Yangtze River valley in China, he did want to knock some more bamboo poles from Wu Chaoyue, but if Wu Chaoyue agreed at that time, the British official would definitely not hesitate to force Tsarist Russia to cease the war, and it was not impossible to even stop the Tsarist Russian fleet directly in Singapore.

However, it is a pity that considering the shameless virtue of Tsarist Russia to forcibly seize a piece of land even if it loses the war, Wu Chaoyue, who did not want to be blackmailed by Tsarist Russia, refused the British proposal, and once believed that Tsarist Russia, which had a weak navy, did not dare to risk offending Britain and France and invaded the Yangtze River River, which had long been regarded as a bag by Britain. It wasn't until Yang Xiuqing sent Hong Renji to call the police that Wu Chaoyue was stunned to find out that Tsarist Russia had come for real this time.

After learning that Tsarist Russia was really going to attack him, Wu Chaoyue of course ran to the British Legation in Hankou as soon as possible, asking Britain to put pressure on the Tsarist fleet to enter the Yangtze River. But it was too late to do so, and Prus, who had a good relationship with Wu Chaoyue, said with a wry smile: "Wu, you are late, my boss Bao Ling has already promised the Russians to take neutrality, unless the Russians infringe on our British interests in the Yangtze River valley, we will not take military action, let alone obstruct the free navigation of the Russian fleet in the Yangtze River waterway." ”

"But isn't it in the interest of your British government that our Hubei Provisional Government is there?" Wu Chaoyue asked brazenly: "Mr. Pruss, I have signed so many trade contracts with you Britain, don't you worry that if the Hubei Provisional Government is overthrown by the Russians, those trade contracts will become waste paper?" ”

"Wu, we are friends, and it doesn't matter if you have some things to say." Prouss smiled and asked, "Wu, if your Hubei Provisional Government is overthrown by the Russians, and we British take the trade contract you signed with us to the Imperial Court in the capital and ask them to honor it for you, do you think they will agree?" ”

Wu Beyond was speechless, because Wu Beyond knew very well, not to mention that he signed those contract treaties with Britain and did not betray the country, even if the contract treaty he signed with the British government sold all the Chinese bottoms to the British, as long as the British were willing to support the Manchu Qing court instead, Cixi and Devil Six would agree without even blinking an eyelid!

"Wu, you have to remember this lesson." Prussian smiled again and said: "When I informed you of the position of Tsarist Russia before, you should have immediately made your attitude clear and asked our British officials to help you, but you refused. Although I don't understand why you refused, I can assert that this is the biggest mistake you made after establishing the Hubei Provisional Government! ”

"I thought you and the French would not be able to tolerate the Russians sticking their claws into the Yangtze River." Wu Chaoyue explained with a sad face.

"As long as the Russians respect our interests, why should we stop their fleet from sailing into the Yangtze River?" Pruss asked very directly, and asked more directly: "By blocking the navigation of the Russian fleet on the Yangtze River by force, don't we have to spend military expenses and don't have to worry about the casualties of the soldiers?" The Russians are at war with your army, firing at the fleet of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, what does it matter to us in Britain? Why should we block it? ”

Although Prous's words were both direct and ugly, Wu Chaoyue continued to be speechless, because Wu Chaoyue was in the position of Prous, and Wu Chaoyue's words might be more direct and ugly - there is no benefit, why should you want to be dead and spend money to help you?

While regretting that he did not pay attention to this issue earlier, Wu Chaoyue could only hurriedly ask Prus: "Prus, my friend, make an offer, what can I do to get your British army to come forward to prevent the Russian fleet from sailing into the Yangtze River?" ”

"Wu, it's too late." Pruss shook his head and said, "First, the Governor of Bao Ling has promised to remain neutral, and has reported the situation to the country; Second, we British have no interest in going to war with Russia at the moment, and we have not signed any military alliance treaty with you, so it is impossible to resume war with the Russians in order to protect you. ”

After that, Pruss also kindly comforted Wu Chaoyue and said: "Wu, don't worry, there will be no danger in your enclave in Shanghai, Bao ordered the governor to clearly send a letter to the Russians, prohibiting them from attacking Shanghai, otherwise we will definitely use force to protect Shanghai." ”

Hearing this, Wu Chaoyue breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that unless Tsarist Russia's head was in the water, he would never dare to attack Shanghai. Then, after some more calculations, Wu Chaoyue made another request to Pruth, saying: "Mr. Prussia, although it is a little late, I still formally request your government to come forward to mediate the armed conflict between the Hubei Provisional Government and Tsarist Russia, so as to prevent the war between our Hubei Provisional Government and Tsarist Russia from further expanding. ”

"Wu, you've finally lowered your high head." Pruss smiled and said, "Actually, you should have done this a long time ago, do you know what the quid pro quo I am going to offer you?" ”

"What is it?" Wu Chaoyue asked with some trepidation.

"Purchase from us the British twenty steam gunboats and supporting weapons, as well as the right of first refusal for your newly seized Shanxi coal mines."

"It's as simple as that? Why didn't you say it earlier?! ”

"You didn't ask me?"

Prouss's smile answer almost didn't make Wu Chaoyue angry, but when Wu Chaoyue yelled and blamed himself for his mistake, Prouss continued to hit Wu Chaoyue and said: "Wu, people need to learn a lesson, and the matter of asking for domestic mediation is on me, but you have to hold on, don't be directly defeated by the damn Russian bear, then it will be too late for us to agree to mediate." ”

As a friend, Prussian still provided Wu Chaoyue with the information of the Tsarist Russian fleet held by the British for free, and at the same time promised to mediate for Wu Chaoyue during the war and persuade the Tsarist Russia to withdraw its troops.

The position and attitude of the French side is similar to that of the British, and they are also unwilling to use force to force Tsarist Russia to withdraw their troops for Wu Chaoyue, and only agree to mediate. What's even more ridiculous is that because Napoleon III wanted to avenge his uncle Napoleon Bonaparte, and liked to work against the Russians everywhere, the mediation conditions proposed by the French side were actually for Wu Chaoyue to borrow from the French bank to build railways and use it as military expenses! Napoleon III's staunch supporters were the big bankers, usurers, and financial aristocrats, and their interests had to be taken into account in diplomacy.

"I knew that it was as simple as buying arms and borrowing loans, and I should have asked Britain and France to mediate a long time ago! Lao Tzu is still too lacking in diplomatic experience, too lacking in diplomatic experience, and it is actually entirely possible that this battle does not need to be fought at all! ”

No matter how much he regretted and hated his lack of diplomatic experience, it was too late, although the British and French ministers agreed to ask for domestic mediation, but after such a long distance, when Britain and France responded, the daylily was cold. Therefore, while feeling sorry for himself, Wu Chaoyue can only go all out to strengthen combat readiness and prepare for the upcoming Qing-Russian combined fleet.

At this time, there were also some war-fearing voices within the Wu army, and many civil and military officials were worried that they might not be able to defeat the Russian fleet, and the morale of the army was also fluctuating. Fortunately, Wu Chaoyue noticed this situation in time, and immediately took countermeasures, inviting Western soldiers represented by Aspen to give a speech, introducing the tactical habits and combat methods of the Tsarist Russian army to the Wu army officers and soldiers, and introducing specific battle examples, so that Wu soldiers knew that the Russian soldiers were not monsters who could not be killed, but also human beings who were afraid of bullets and shells, and they were also quasi-first-class troops whose equipment and technical and tactical level were inferior to the British and French powers.

In addition, Wu Chaoyue, who had never left Wuchang's lair since the start of the army, was also ready to go to Daye in person to command the decisive battle, arranged the candidates to stay behind, and transferred Cao Yanzhong's corps from Sichuan to help Daye, and drew up an emergency plan with Rong Hong to evacuate technicians and equipment and machinery if necessary.

Also, in view of the needs of the situation, Wu Chaoyue also decided early on to show his last hole card in the battle with the Russian fleet - nitroglycerin weapons!

At the same time, after many hard battles, under the very difficult situation of logistics transportation and supply, the Shanxi Wu army finally broke through the natural danger of the Bird Mouse Valley, which the Shanxi Qing army was defending with all its might, captured Huozhou, Lingshi and Jiexiu and other places, basically annihilated the main force of the Shanxi Qing army, and captured Xu Jiji, the Dinghai god needle of the Shanxi Qing army.

Shanxi Wu army took the Bird Mouse Valley, which is equivalent to opening the spacious road to the city of Taiyuan, in the case that there is no danger to defend, the three important commercial towns of Qixian, Taigu and Pingyao, where rich merchants gather, did not even blink an eyelid, and immediately surrendered Kaicheng without hesitation, and took the initiative to offer a large amount of military expenses and grain in exchange for Liu Kun's order to strictly enforce military discipline and prohibit looting. At the same time, the surrounding cities such as Fenyang and Wenshui also followed suit, and Wu Chaoyue's old boss, Shanxi Governor Ruilin, wrote a suicide note early and prepared poison in order to commit suicide after the destruction of Taiyuan City.

Wu army's breakthrough through the Bird Mouse Valley not only sounded the death knell of the Qing army in Shanxi, but also accelerated the departure of the Qing-Russian combined fleet, knowing that after Wu Chaoyue took Shanxi, he would definitely take Zhili in the east, and the dying Manchu court not only forced the Qing army in Shanxi to continue to resist stubbornly to gain time, but also pinned the last hope of turning defeat into victory on the Qing-Russian combined fleet.

Finally, on June 22 of the first year of Qixiang (Tongzhi), the Qing-Russian combined fleet set off at Dagukou, sailing south with the last hope of the Manchu court.

There is one thing that is definitely worth Wu Chaoyue's rejoicing, that is, although Ignatiev, the Russian minister who had stayed in Hubei for a period of time, repeatedly reminded that Wu's naval division was not bad, and it was definitely not as easy to deal with as imagined, Rear Admiral Novosilsky, the commander of the Russian fleet, scoffed at it, and said in a big way: "The sailor of the yellow-skinned monkey also needs to be afraid? Could it be that they are better than the Ottoman navy? ”

"Dear Rear Admiral Novosilsky, I know about your great success in the Battle of Sinop, but you'd better not underestimate the fleet of the Qing rebels." Ignatiev emphasized: "Not only do they have shore artillery cover, but they also have been rigorously trained by retired British Navy personnel, all tactical tactics have been learned from the British Navy, and each ship has experienced British Royal Navy veterans as technical instructors, which is definitely not so easy to deal with." ”

"Damn English hillbillies, against our Russian Empire everywhere!" Novosilsky cursed at first, then nodded very reluctantly, and said: "Well, thanks for the reminder, I'll be careful." ”

Although the consuls of Britain, France, and other countries had clearly informed Zhou Tenghu, the commander-in-chief of the Shanghai Wu Army, in advance, that the Russian fleet would not attack Shanghai, and asked the Shanghai Wu Army to exercise restraint and not take the initiative to provoke the Russian fleet. However, for the sake of prudence, Zhou Tenghu still immediately sent someone to warn Wu Chaoyue, and at the same time made every effort to prepare for prevention, and persuaded Wu Lao comprador and Zhou Xiuying's mother and son to temporarily move to the French Concession early on, so as not to break out and be affected by the war.

In addition, Zhou Tenghu, who was full of bad water and could cultivate Zhao Liewen, who lacked moral goods, racked his brains to think about such a possibility, can he make some fuss when the Russian fleet supplies food and coal, and weaken the strength of the enemy's fleet? Or, can you provoke the battle that will inevitably occur between the Taiping army and the Qing-Russian combined fleet in advance, and use the hands of the Taiping army to weaken the Qing-Russian combined fleet?

"Tao Fu, why don't you use the strategy of the high string master?"

Jin Anqing, who was also full of bad water, proposed: "Falsely claim peace, send envoys to contact the Rakshasa people and the rebel army, take the opportunity to tell Longhair in advance, and Longhair is ready to join forces with us to shake them out, lure them to bite the dog with Longhair first, and also take the opportunity to test their truth." ”

Zhou Tenghu laughed when he heard this, nodded and said, "It's feasible." ”